Dry Herb Vaping for Beginners

Vaping has become all the rage in recent years. More and more people are switching to vaporizers as a healthy alternative to smoking tobacco cigarettes and as a more creative way to smoke in general. There are a great variety of vaporizers that exist in the market; some are for use with dry herbs, concentrates or waxes, and e-liquids (e-juices) – or any combination of the three.

You might be wondering:

If I decide to use a dry herb vape, what should I expect?

In this post, we will discuss how vaporizers work (conduction or convection), the different components that make up desktop and portable vaporizers including how to use them and then cover customizing your vaping experience using temperatures based on the herb you are using.

Let’s begin.

How Do Vapes Work?

Now, your first couple of questions might be:

How do vaporizers work? How is vapor produced?

First, vapor occurs when the substance (i.e., dry herbs, concentrates or e-liquids) are heated just enough to evaporate into the air while avoiding combustion of the material. This results in a vapor that is free from the harmful substances that would normally be found in tobacco smoke, for instance.

Now, there are two ways that vaporizers heat up dry herbs. They use either conduction or convection.

Conduction

A vape that uses the conduction method requires that you would place your dry herbs directly onto the heating surface. These vapes have plates where the dry herbs would be placed which heat up the dry herb and releases the cannabinoids into the air. One significant aspect of using a conduction style vaporizer is that it allows you to vape as soon as it is powered on and they are rather affordable; however, there is a higher risk of combustion, and they can be harder to use since they lack precise temperature controls.

Convection

Vaporizers that use the convection method work differently. Instead of directly heating the dry herb, it uses hot air to heat and vaporizes it indirectly. This works by putting the dry herb into a heating chamber or oven where it would then warm the hot air enough to heat up and vaporize. Convection vaporizers are ideal for beginners, and they are better at providing more accurate temperature control; however, they are usually more expensive and take longer to heat up the dry herb before you can vape.

Next, let’s explore the different components that make up desktop and portable vapes.

Components of Desktop Vaporizers

Desktop vaporizers are an excellent choice for those vapers looking for a beast that will provide them continuous vaping that is perfect for single or group sessions – all from the comfort of their home. But how exactly do these monstrous vapes work?

Well, there are several components that make up a desktop vaporizer. We’ll start from the bottom and make our way to the top. (For all intensive purposes, we will be checking out the components of a convection style desktop vaporizer).

At the bottom, you have the diaphragm air pump and fan.

The diaphragm air pump functions to pump air into the air channel (mentioned in a moment) and the fan makes sure to blow vapor out that prevents overheating and vapor hits that are stale.

In the middle of the vaporizer, we have the regulator knob, air channel, and heating element.

The regulator knob activates the heating element which heats up the air coming up the air channel. The dry herbs sit in a heating chamber or oven as the hot air passes through and around it.

At the top of the vape, the vapors created by the hot air and dry herbs will thus pass through the tube and into either an attachment (i.e., balloon, whip), into the mouth, or into the air (depending on how you are vaping).

These days, we are all searching for practicality, no? Luckily, vaporizers have come a long way in recent years – yielding: portable vaporizers. To know more about vape and cbd oil click here.

Components of Portable Vaporizers

Unlike desktop vaporizers, portable vapes are smaller and more discreet; yet they are still capable of providing the user an optimal vaping experience. They are relatively straightforward to use, and while they don’t leave much room for customization, these vaporizers are packed with features that are well justified for the cost. Check out our review on the PAX 3 – one of the most popular portable vaporizers ever.

So, how do portable vapes work?

Let’s take a look.

Portable vaporizers are comprised of 5 components:

Battery

Atomizer

Tank

Cooling unit

Mouthpiece

Every portable vape comes with a rechargeable battery (some are even removable). This, naturally, provides power to the device. The amount of time you can use the device (i.e., length of sessions and whether they are single or group sessions) depends solely on how big the battery is and how well you take care of the battery.

The atomizer connects to the battery and is responsible for heating up your dry herbs and creating the vapor. Attached to the atomizer is a heating coil that provides the necessary heat for the atomizer to do its job.

The tank or cartomizer purpose is to hold or store your dry herbs being used.

To prevent you from burning your mouth on the vapors, the vape has a cooling unit which cools down the vapors enough for consumption.

Lastly, you have the mouthpiece. These are usually detachable and interchangeable. Their purpose is (you guessed it!) to allow you to inhale the vapor from the device.

Temperature Customization

Want to know the best part?

Getting the most out of your vaping sessions doesn’t depend on which strains you use, but temperature as well.

Well, how so?

If you don’t already know, different strains offer different properties that can provide various effects; these strains each activate those properties at different boiling points or temperatures. They can increase and decrease the intensity of each strand based on the temperature setting you have.

Great, but couldn’t I just get this same effect from smoking?

No. When you heat up the bowl filled with your herb, you are essentially combusting the material which causes you to inhale all of the harmful byproducts of the material. The temperature of the lighter isn’t regulated, and while it gets hot enough to activate the primary component of dry herbs, it destroys the transmitters that provide the effects that produce healing properties.

Low Temps

Low temp vaping is perfect for users who want a mellow but productive session to help them get through the day. The temp range ideal for low temp vaping is between 310°F and 330°F. This type of vaping is perfect for users who want to stay productive and functional throughout the day and newbies.

Moderate Temps

If you are looking for a more intense session but still want to maintain some clear-headedness, try moderate temp vaping. This is recommended for mild euphoria, mood elevation, and enhanced sensory awareness. The temp range for this category is between 330°F and 370°F. So, if you are looking to experience a mild effect while going about your daily routine, this is a perfect fit for you.

High Temps

Lastly, we have high temp vaping. To get the most out of your vaping session, turn your vape above 370°F. This temp vaping is recommended for users who want to experience intense euphoria, get a good night’s sleep and heavy relaxation. The temp range for this category is between 370°F to 430°F. It’s important to remember that using these temps bring you close to the combustion zone so expect to see your vapor turn thicker and harsher on inhalation.

Final Thoughts

So, what’s the bottom line?

Dry herb vaporizers are easy to use, and each provides you with a superb vaping experience.

So, let’s recap.

Dry herb vapes utilize two different ways to heat up your flower which is conduction and convection. Various components make up desktop and portable vaporizers which add their unique vaping qualities.

To get the most out of your dry herb and to bring your vaping to a whole new level, try customizing the temperature based on your flower. Different strains boil at different temps, and this affects the properties that you receive from them.

So, next time, give it a try and see if your experience changes.

Well, there you have it. This is what you can expect from using a dry herb vaporizer.